Things that matter - outsideship as a relational and situational experience

The purpose of this study has been to explore the phenomenon of ‘outsideship’. We have done so by talking with six young people who, in political documents, are placed in the category of ‘outsideship’ because they are neither in education nor employment. We asked them to describe their everyday lives, their experiences and understandings related to ‘fitting in,’ as well as their thoughts about the use of the term ‘outsideship.’ The analysis was carried out through a reflexive, iterative process, drawing on theoretical perspectives from Haraway, Manning, and post-phenomenology as cautionary and inspirational guides rather than prescriptive frameworks. Our analyses led to two main categories: (1) ‘The world, the others, and the gazes,’ and (2) ‘Gaming, day and night, animals.’ The article problematises the relationship between ‘outside’ and ‘inside,’ and rejects the idea that the informants’ voices come from the «outside».